ESD Protection for HDMI 1.3

For high-speed interface in HD video systems, High-Definition MultimediaInterface (HDMI) is the latest standard for devices that handle high-bandwidth, real time data, such as HDTV. However, the higher the data speed and the more advanced the process technology, the harder it is to protect the integrated circuit (IC) from over-voltage stresses caused by electrostatic discharge (ESD) or cable discharge events (CDE).

This paper discusses the challenge of providing reliable ESD protection for HDMI designs while meeting the signal integrity requirement per HDMI CTS, and explains how technologies such as the Semtech RClamp0524P can provide designers with an easy-to-implement solution.